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JCS Editor • February 20, 2026ISCR 2025 Contemplative Studies Update
From November 3rd to the 6th, 2025, the International Society for Contemplative Research (ISCR) held its third academic conference. The Friday Conference Center offered a pleasant venue for a week’s worth of professional networking, stimulating lectures, and intermittent contemplative exercises. Walking through the front doors on the first day,… -
JCS Editor • February 13, 2026AAR 2025 Contemplative Studies Update
With an Honor Song ringing out, resonantly, at an AAR panel, it’s clear that contemplation as a category, as a way to collect voices, perspectives, and insights, is not just a recapitulation of tired and ingrained modes of academic pursuit. While Contemplative Studies as an organized and self-conscious field is still… -
JCS Editor • October 30, 2025Reflections on SENSEmaking
A Symposium on Contemplative Technologies
SENSEmaking: A Symposium on Contemplative Technologies was held by the Contemplative Sciences Center and its Contemplative Innovation + Research Co-Lab (CIRCL) on October 9th and 10th. Contemplative practices in esoteric and religious traditions have long sought to explore the horizon… -
JCS Editor • December 20, 2024Conference Recap
American Academy of Religion Annual Conference, 2024
The American Academy of Religion held its 2024 Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA, November 23-26. The Contemplative Studies unit sponsored or co-sponsored three panels exploring contemplative practices, experiences, and traditions. Topics ranged from Confucian contemplations for college students, to… -
JCS Editor • March 28, 2024Revisit the Generative Contemplation Symposium 2023
In April 2023, the Contemplative Sciences Center at the University of Virginia hosted its first Generative Contemplation Symposium in Charlottesville, Virginia. This gathering convened experts in Contemplative Studies – scholars, philosophers, cognitive neuroscientists, artists, and Buddhist practitioners – to present… -
JCS Editor • December 7, 2023Conference Recap
American Academy of Religion Annual Conference, 2023
The American Academy of Religion hosted its 2023 Annual Meeting in San Antonio, TX, November 18-21. Among the hundreds of panels and roundtable discussions were notable explorations of contemplative practice among scholars of religion, anthropology, philosophy, psychology, and art history…. -
JCS Editor • October 12, 2023Generative Contemplation Symposium 2023 Video Proceedings
Self-Emergent Visions
The Generative Contemplation Symposium was hosted by the Contemplative Sciences Center at the University of Virginia in April 2023. The following is the video proceedings along with searchable transcripts of Session IV: Self-Emergent Visions which focused on the deliberate elicitation… -
JCS Editor • October 5, 2023Generative Contemplation Symposium 2023 Video Proceedings
Dreams and Illusions
The Generative Contemplation Symposium was hosted by the Contemplative Sciences Center at the University of Virginia in April 2023. The following is the video proceedings along with searchable transcripts of Session III: Dream and Illusion Practices which focused on the… -
JCS Editor • September 28, 2023Generative Contemplation Symposium 2023 Video Proceedings
Nonduality
The Generative Contemplation Symposium was hosted by the Contemplative Sciences Center at the University of Virginia in April 2023. The following is the video proceedings along with searchable transcripts of Session II: Nondual Awareness Practices which focused on the subject-object…
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JCS Editor • April 16, 2026Contemplation + Indigeneity
An Interview With Lance Henson
JCS: I’d first like to tell you what an honor it is for me to be able to have this conversation with you, Lance. I’d like to start our conversation in asking whether contemplative practices have always been part of your life. What did your upbringing look like,… -
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JCS Editor • March 19, 2026Contemplation + SENSEmaking
An Interview With James Gentry
JCS: Thanks so much for talking with me today, James. First, we’re really interested in how your upbringing led to your being interested in contemplative practices and general spiritual openness. JG: Yeah, that’s such a big question. For me, it was essentially… -
JCS Editor • February 26, 2026Contemplation + SENSEmaking
An Interview with Andrew Holecek
JCS: Welcome—I’m excited to talk with you today. I have three core questions, but first I’d love it if you could give us a brief bio and a background of who you are and where you’re coming from. AH: I come from Boulder, Colorado and have an academic background. I got a… -
JCS Editor • February 20, 2026
ISCR 2025 Contemplative Studies Update
From November 3rd to the 6th, 2025, the International Society for Contemplative Research (ISCR) held its third academic conference. The Friday Conference Center offered a pleasant venue for a week’s worth of professional networking, stimulating lectures, and intermittent contemplative exercises. Walking through the front doors on the first day,… -
JCS Editor • February 13, 2026
AAR 2025 Contemplative Studies Update
With an Honor Song ringing out, resonantly, at an AAR panel, it’s clear that contemplation as a category, as a way to collect voices, perspectives, and insights, is not just a recapitulation of tired and ingrained modes of academic pursuit. While Contemplative Studies as an organized and self-conscious field is still…